Today’s NewIndpress reports that at least three bullock carts with sand were seized in
Kanai hamlet near Villupuram, in a crackdown on sand smugglers, after Express
reported that a ban on mining in the district had failed to curb illegal sand
mining. Police said the persons who were riding the bullock carts were also
detained. “The bullock carts would be released after a fine is paid. If they
are found engaging in sand smuggling again, legal action would be taken against
them,” the SI of Kanai police station said. Express, had reported on Saturday
that although a ban has been in force since October 13, many bullock carts were
seen transporting loads of sand in the heart of the town. The district
authorities, in a bid to control sand mining, temporarily banned all such
mining activities and issued instructions for all earthmovers and tipper
lorries to be removed from sand mining yards.
In the recent decades,
environmentalists have been crying hoarse on the possible change in ecological
impact arising out of the indiscriminate mining of sand in the river basins,
coastal areas and hill regions of Tamil Nadu. The threat to the livelihoods of
local communities from this mindless commercial activity seems to be more real
now than ever before. The Campaign for
the Protection of Water Resources-Tamil Nadu has identified 15 adverse
consequences of sand mining which include : depletion of groundwater; lesser
availability of water for industrial, agricultural and drinking purposes; destruction
of agricultural land; loss of employment to farm workers; threat to
livelihoods; human rights violations; and damage to roads and bridges.
There has been a
significant increase in sand mining since the beginning of the 1990s following
a boom in the construction industry, and the activity reached alarming
proportions in several areas. Isolated
attempts by local communities to seek legal remedies did succeed to some
extent, with courts issuing directions to the State government to regulate sand
mining under the provisions of the law. The Campaign presented a background
note before the Court providing vital
information on the Palar river basin. The Palar is the longest of the rivers in
the districts bordering Chennai and has been a major source of drinking water
for the State capital and its suburbs. Until a century ago Palar and its
tributaries, were perennial rivers, but now the water flow is confined to the
monsoon months. Because of this and also the thick layer of clay in the
riverbed, the possibility of flooding has become minimal. This has attracted
sand miners.
Last month, the Tamil Nadu
Government suspended sand mining on the beaches of the state. The Government ordered a probe into operations of 71 large
quarries. Chief Minister Ms. J Jayalalithaa issued an order suspending
operation of these quarries till the probe is over. The order was issued
immediately after receiving a report submitted by a special team led by revenue
secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi, which probed into indiscriminate mineral mining
in six lease areas in the southern district of Tuticorin. These quarries are
engaged in mining sand and major minerals such as ilmenite, rutile and garnet.
Today’s Express also reports
of Sand mafia allegedly trying to kill the tahsildar of Alangudi when he tried
to intercept illegal sand-laden vehicles; later the driver of a tractor was arrested and the
vehicle seized. According to the report, K Govindarajan, tahsildar of Alangudi
and other revenue authorities were conducting vehicle checks at Keelathur near
Alangudi following a tip-off when they tried to intercept two tractors loaded
with sand. The drivers of the tractors did stop their vehicles and moved ahead,
knocking down tahsildar on the road.
Subsequently, the revenue authorities chased and seized the tractor, which
knocked down the tahsildar. The other vehicle managed to escape.
Going by an earlier report
in Times of India, the illegal mining is rampant. The quarries are under government control and
outside involvement is limited to getting contractors to dig up sand at a
pre-determined rate of Rs 220 per truck load. So, close to five dozen quarries
mined about 8,300 truck loads per day in TN in the last financial year would
put a figure of 188 crores as revenue to State Government while contractors are
estimated to have made about Rs 15,000 crore.
The report stated that if there is a trade as fetching as the monopoly
retail sale of liquor in the state, it is managing and operating licensed sand
quarries of the public works department (PWD). TOI opines that though the state has control over sand quarries, it
has not been able to stop illegal mining by contractors. While it has fixed 220
per truck load (400 cft) as fees for their services, enforcement is lacking.
They fleece truck owners, who in turn fleece consumers. Sand prices will
stabilize only if government deploys more people to manage sand quarries.
Elsewhere the National Green
Tribunal (NGT) directed the Deputy Commissionerand SP of Faridabad as well as
Gautam Budh Nagar to ensure no illegal mining of sand takes place from land
belonging to IAF in Faridabad. The Bench
instructed taking of effective steps to ensure that there is no illegal sand
mining. The bench was hearing a petition
filed by NGO, Noida Lok Manch, which has alleged illegal sand mining is going
on in IAF land- an air bombing and firing range -at Tilpat in Faridabad
district of Haryana with the authorities doing nothing to prevent it despite
complaints from villagers. The over 4600
acres of Air Force land, which has seen no activity over the last 25-30 years,
is situated on either side of river Yamuna and mining there is affecting
farming activities of the villagers living nearby, the petition said. It said removal of sand from the site in
question is not only affecting farming activity but also causing lowering of
the water table of the area. The petition also raised the issue of change in
flow of the river if the mining is allowed to continue.
Man continues to
cause harm to environment, which always protects and provides many healthy
things to mankind
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
28th Oct 2013.
